PALAKKAD: In a decisive move to tackle persistent corruption and improve administrative efficiency, the Kerala government has announced the closure of all Motor Vehicle Department (MVD) checkposts across the state, including the country’s largest inter-state checkpost at Walayar, within the next two months.
Transport Minister K B Ganesh Kumar made the announcement in the state assembly, signalling a significant policy shift in border transport regulation.
The Walayar checkpost, located along the heavily-trafficked Palakkad-Coimbatore stretch of National Highway 544, has long been notorious for long queues of goods-laden trucks.
However, the relevance of such checkposts has steadily declined following the introduction of the Goods and Services Tax (GST), which removed the need for inter-state commercial checks on goods.
Recent vigilance operations have further exposed the depth of corruption at these posts. Substantial sums of unaccounted cash were seized during surprise inspections, including Rs 1.61 lakh last week, and earlier seizures of Rs 1.49 lakh and Rs 1.77 lakh in January. Despite ongoing vigilance, malpractices continued, prompting Transport Commissioner Nagaraju Chakilam to issue strict warnings to the staff.
In response to these developments, the MVD has begun reducing checkpost operating hours. From now on, checkposts will function only during the day— from 9 am to 5 pm — with night operations suspended to curb opportunities for illicit transactions. Staffing will also be drastically reduced. While over 30 employees previously worked in three shifts, only two staff members-a single Assistant Motor Vehicle Inspector (AMVI) and an office attendant-will now be stationed during daytime.
The move is also aimed at addressing staff shortages in other areas of the department, where delays in services such as driving tests and vehicle registration (Vahan and Sarathi platforms) have been reported. The redeployment of surplus staff is expected to significantly improve service delivery and reduce backlogs.
Although MVD enforcement operations will be relocated to other parts of the highway during night-time, authorities have made it clear that no such enforcement will occur at border areas, to avoid misuse.
Once the MVD vacates, the Walayar checkpost will continue to function exclusively for the excise department, which will monitor the movement of excisable goods.
This broader restructuring signals the government’s commitment to clean governance, efficient service delivery, and the modernisation of transport regulation in the state.
Double benefit
The move is also aimed at addressing staff shortages in other areas of the department, where delays in services such as driving tests and vehicle registration (Vahan and Sarathi platforms) have been reported. The redeployment of surplus staff is expected to significantly improve service delivery and reduce backlogs.